Thread: Japanese Maple problem-pics

We just planted this Japanese Maple in a landscape. It looked fine until we noticed yesterday the brownish crumbly leaves. It's not all the leaves, just in certain places. We had it sitting in the pot before it was planted under an oak and evergreen trees. Could sap have fallen on the leaves and caused this? Any other ideas?

To my eye that looks like handling damage. You say it was just planted? If some of the foliage was crunched by a tarp, or someone grabbing it to position the plant it can cause damage like this. These leaves are very tender. The browning may take a few days to appear. If it is not getting any worse I would not worry about it. If your customer is really bothered by it you can remove the worst leaves.

To my eye that looks like handling damage. You say it was just planted? If some of the foliage was crunched by a tarp, or someone grabbing it to position the plant it can cause damage like this. These leaves are very tender. The browning may take a few days to appear. If it is not getting any worse I would not worry about it. If your customer is really bothered by it you can remove the worst leaves.

MowinginVA,
The symptons on that Acer appear to be blight. Unless you had this plant riding in the back of your truck before planting, it can only be wind damage.
The plant was sitting in a pot under a tree could have allowed this plant to become acclimated to that spot. Now you have moved it to another area and then planted it--plant shock. I see these plants everyday in our landscapes. The ones with those lesions are usually located in poor air circulated spots, wet soils, compacted soils, or where water is allowed to hit the foliage during hot periods and humidity. Yes, these trees are temperamental and spraying it with Propiconazole will help. Just the other day, a new spray customer of ours had a tree just as yours, and the thing suddenly died. There are two other Japanese maples around their property that are showing signs of the same folar problems and pin holes in the leaf surface---just as yours. It is ironic that the humidity has just started to rise here and the rains are still coming. This is why I think you have fungal or blight issues. I want to think it is called Anthracnose..........."?"

My Japenese Maple does this when its heat stressed. Is it partial shade variety or full sun; could be just transplant shock - it is June.

I'd bet money on this. We had a customer want us to transplant 2 jap maples, we strongly recommended her to wait as these trees are a pain to do and keep going plus 90 degree heat makes it nearly impossible. Well, 2 weeks later both trees looked like the one in your pics.